1 TIMOTHY 6:6

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

TO PONDER

As much as we may want to experience the joy of Christmas, ‘peace on earth and goodwill toward all people’, and all that, it’s very hard when our hearts are full of desire for things that have no lasting value. 

Discontent is caused by the endless distraction of attractive things paraded before us every day. Our thoughts are bombarded with desire for things we never knew we needed; things we never knew existed until temptation titillated desire. We cannot be content while hanging on to the desire for temporary things. Things that will eventually turn to dust and ashes.

If we want to choose joy, we must learn contentment, which is letting go of unhealthy and unhelpful desires. We must learn to hold this world and its things lightly. We would then need to let go of control and self-righteousness, learn to forgive, and let go of anger, malice, and grudges. Doing these things amounts to godliness with contentment.

How do we let go? We cannot hold on to God and our useless desires at the same time. To hold on to God, is to let go of the rest and so, find joy in his presence.

Remember: Joy relies on godliness with contentment.

PRAYER

Father, declutter my heart and my mind. Relax my grip on things that will neither heal nor save me. Amen.

Today's devotion written by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra